WHAT PINCHED CERVICAL NERVE TREATMENT DOES THE MOST GOOD?A Pinched Cervical Nerve can be one of the most painful experiences you can imagine. I know first hand how bad the pain can be. Two years ago, I suffered a pinched nerve in my neck that sent sharp electrical shocking pain down my right arm. The pain radiated from my bicep muscle down my arm into my hand. For a month I couldn't let my right arm hang straight down by my side. If I tried to straighten my arm, I got the electric shock pain from my bicep down into my hand. I knew as soon as my injury occurred that going to a medical doctor would have been a waste of time. I didn't think any kind of medical professional would have been able to help me. Thankfully, I knew a chiropractor who did a specialized treatment called "Nerve Flossing" that takes pressure off nerves. After a month of treatment for the pinched nerve in my neck, I was able to straighten my arm without pain shooting down into my hand.
Unfortunately though, my arm was still numb, and the skin in my forearm was hypersensitive to anything touching it. I couldn't even stand a long shirt sleeve touching the skin of my arm. The chiropractor saw that my progress for the pinched cervical nerve had stopped so he recommended that I see a Neurologist. When I saw the Neurologist he diagnosed me with a traction injury to the median nerve in my right arm. He said there was probably not much he could do for me except prescribe medication to take for pain and inflammation while waiting to see if my body would be able to heal itself of the pinched cervical nerve.
He gave me a topical gel called "Voltaren" to put on my arm. This medication didn't seem to help at all. He then did Nerve Conduction and ElectoMyogram (EMG)Studies to measure the speed that nerve impulses traveled down my pinched cervical nerve compared to my other arm. He found that the nerve signals were traveling down my "good arm" twice as fast as in my arm with the pinched cervical nerve. Even with this knowledge, there was nothing he could do for me. He said these pinched cervical nerve injuries can sometimes take 4-5 years to heal. Sometimes they don't heal at all! He changed my diagnosis to "Complex Regional Pain Syndrome," which is a chronic pain condition that mainly affects the arms or legs.
My arm is numb and hypersensitive. If anything brushes against the skin of my arm it causes a burning electric shock like pain that turns my stomach. It looks like I may have to live with this for the rest of my life. I've tried all kinds of therapies to try to get relief from the pain in my arm. Below is a link to a list of products that have been very helpful to me.
Even if you have been diagnosed with a pinched nerve, using my home treatment recommendations should help relieve your pain. Always consult with your healthcare practitioner before using any treatments at home. Sometimes surgery is necessary, but I always like to try conservative methods first. To Your Best Health, Dr. Cliff
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